The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-12-08
THE GERMAN ARMY.
THE cRoucHlNG TIGER READY ON
THE FRENCH FRONTIER LINE.

THE cRoucHING TIGER READY ON
THE FRENCH FRONTIER LINE.
Turning Out the Men ut All Hours OF
Night as II War Were Actually Do
observation-disclosures rs Privates-Extra-
ordinary System.
Once inside the city of Metz you find
discipline, hard work and the results of
perfect military system. Fully half the
people you see on the streets are soldiers.
In the city Of Metz to-day there are go, 600
men. Along the frontier, in positions
where they can be concentrated upon the
border within twenty-four hours, there
are over 200, 900 men. In time of peace
the confinement Of so large number Of
men as are at Metz within such circum-
scribeS quarters would simply result in
license, idleness and dissipation. But
there Is nothing of the sort to be seen at
Metz. The men are too constantly occu-
pied. The private soldiers are turned out
at 4 o'clock in the morning. 1t is drill,
drill from morning till right The men
are marched and countermarched. They
are exercised In every form Of evolution
The officers are constantly securing the
country hunting up new difficulties to
teach their men to overcome by prelimi-
nary drill. Such discipline, such subor-
dination, I do not think was ever sur
passed in any army. The officers wear
their uniforms constantly. 1t is breach
Of discipline, and of the most serious char
acter, for them to appear In public in
civilian dress. These officers have no time
for social Inequalities. They never make
calls or accept invitations, except among
themselves. There Is very little entertain
ing even among the officers on the border.
They are too occupied with their military
duties, in the perfecting of this tremen-
dous military machine which each day
grows more and more formidable.
The perfection of the discipline of the
German army can only be understood by
witnessing its actual operation. To begin
with, the private soldiers are thoroughly
trained physically, as well as in the men,
tai details of the military profession. They
are all accomplished gymnasts. Although
the men in many Of the regiments are Of
medium size they look strong, hardy and
resolute. The German army Is perfectly
democratic in the placing of its men. The
sons of the best families, who wish merely
to serve their three years term, have to
begin in the ranks as common soldiers.
Those who wish to adopt the army as
profession are placed in special schools,
and according to the examinations they
are placed in correspondingly better posi-
ton than those who are merely serving
their three years. term. But when once
q man enters the army his private social
position is absolutely ignored. / heard
Il IN, Of nf Al
distinguished family being called upon to
do his three years. service. His head
gardener, who was called out at the same
time and who had previously served, was
given his old position as sergeant. The
young nobleman was placed in the ranks
as private and under the command Of
his servant, the gardener. The very first
day Of his service the privates of his COM
pany were put to wheeling dirt for some
breastworks. The sergeant could not
bear to see his masters son engaged in
this mental work and took off his coat and
did his share for him, but this simply re-
suited in the punishment OF the sergeant
for q breach Of discipline.
The respect which a subordinate must
pay to his superior extends throughout
every hour and minute of the day. Wher-
over the subordinate meets his superior in
rank he must extend to him the same off,
cial recognition of this superiority that
he would exhibit upon the actual parade
ground. The first night Of my arrival in
Metz I was dining at the table d'hote,
when heavy, thick set German officer
entered the room. A slight, aristocratic
looking German officer, also in uniform,
was leisurely eating his dinner and talk
ing with a friend when this officer entered
the room. The moment the latter entered
the young officer stood up from the table
and saluted. He stood with his hand Mt
the side of his head in the attitude Of
salute until the advancing officer returned
the salute and told him politely to sit
down. In this particular case I after
wards learned that the officer superior in
rank was former tradesman in the town
where the younger officer, the only son OF
q noble family, was one OF its So
cial leaders. The two men in civil life
would not know each other socially. But in
the army the bridesmaids position COM
manded the absolute respect and obedience
of the nobleman. merely give this IN
stance as an illustration of the absolute
perfection of the military subordination in
the German army. I noticed this c1n-
stantly as the officers came into the dining
room. Every officer who came in saluted
those present, and those saluted either
arose or bowed formally, according to
their relative ranks. The working Of this
discipline, which was shown in o hotel
dining room, was OF course common at all
places of public or private meeting. When
the officers pass each other upon the
streets, no matter II it is twenty times
day, the same ceremony, only in q more
curt fashion, is gone through with. The
punishment for any breach OF discipline is
swift and severe. Yet in spite OF the figor
of the discipline and the tremendous work
involved, all Of the officers and the men
look comfortable and contented.
But in nothing is the perfection of prep
aration shown more than in the signals Mt
night and in the sudden arming and turn
ing out OF the entire force along the from
tier upon the shortest possible notice.
The German soldier, when he retires at
night, never knows whether he will be
called out within the next ten minutes or
at any time of night. At ] o'clock the
signal will be given and then an order is
called ont for the men, and instantly the
entire garrison at Metz viii be placed in
line. Men will be sent out at double
quick up and down the streets, cavalry
will 60 gathering out into the darkness,
the artillerymen win be whipped out at
their posts with the same swiftness and
rush as il tho enemy were actually at
their gates, And then there will follow a
shower of rockets. These lead to hillside
fires, one hillside lights up another, and so
the blaze of light runs along down the
long line Of the frontier, calling out by its
signals the men at distant posts. Moth
ing that could happen now in the way of
demonstration upon the part of France
could find the Germans unprepared They
are united. harmonious and have perfect
military arm.-T. G. .Crawford's Letter in
New York World.